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Some cities enjoy splendid natural settings, others have rich architectural patrimony, and others have a balmy climate. For Stockholm, two out of three is not bad at all. Often called the Venice Of The North, Stockholm is a visually impressive city built on fourteen islands linked by waterways and bridges. At the same time, it is a unique city that cannot be compared with any other; the Venetians residing in Stockholm Of The South would probably agree that Stockholm is worthy of its nickname.

The northern winter is when the world’s intellectual élite get cosy and turn their attention to Stockholm for the famous Nobel Prizes, awarded each December to recognise excellence in human achievement. Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite, became a fabulously wealthy man due to his scientific genius. Horrified by the unintended applications of dynamite for malicious purposes (he invented it to blast through rock to facilitate engineering projects), Nobel died a disappointed man. He also died childless, leaving his vast fortune to The Nobel Foundation. For a look at the history of Nobel, the man and his work, The Nobel Museum is well worth a visit, presenting a superb display of the personal and professional history of both Nobel and the Nobel laureates. Among the most evocative experiences is the Listening Room, where visitors can hear the Nobel laureates’ actual acceptance speeches.

: A suite at Berns

: Inside the Carl Eldh museum

: Winter is a special time to visit Stockholm.

Another Nobel site worth a visit is Stadhuset, Stockholm’s city hall. Austere on the outside, it is far less so on the inside. Echoing the Venetian feel, Stadhuset was built in the style of an Italian villa; the vast room used as the venue for the Nobel dinner was intended to be an open-air piazza, but the architect was obliged to recognise the fact that Stockholm does not enjoy the same climate as La Serenissima. The Gyllene Salen is the magnificent golden hall where the ceremony occurs.

Berns Hotel continues to exert power over the city’s hotel scene and nightlife. It’s no wonder; its excellent position, friendly staff, welcoming rooms and historic ambience make it a very appealing choice for visitors to one of Europe’s most stylish cities. Rooms at Berns are creatively designed and decorated; despite the impressive artistic inspiration of the accommodation, the hotel’s pièce de résistance is its spectacular restaurant, Berns Asiatiska, where Asian-influenced food is served in an enormous, classically European 19th-century dining hall illuminated by massive chandeliers. In contrast to the large scale of the dining hall is the very intimate Red Room, a parlour where famed Swedish author August Strindberg and his friends would gather for discussion and conversation. Located in the centre of the city, facing the pocket-sized Berzelii Park at the foot of Birger Jarlsgatan, Stockholm’s most fashionable shopping street, Berns provides easy access to the sights as well as to the popular day cruises and other boat excursions departing from the quays along the Nybroviken waterfront adjacent to the park. Several museums are within walking distance, including the impressive Hallwyl Museum across the street from the park.

: The flying horse at Millesgården

: Nobel was a noble man.

: Statuary on the Millesgården esplanade

Stockholm is, in fact, a city well endowed with many splendid museums. Among them is the remarkable Millesgården, sculptor Carl Milles’s former studio and residence. Milles lived his final years in this superb villa on Lidingö, just outside Stockholm. On the scenic stone-paved terrace, Milles’ marvellous sculptures are seen on pedestals against the sky in a unique outdoor display. In central Stockholm is Carl Eldh’s Ateljé, displaying the works of another Swedish sculptor whose ethereal works are quintessentially Scandinavian. Wherever you stay, whatever the season, take a ride in a very different kind of art gallery. The Blue Line of the Tunnelbana (Stockholm metro system) is a tourist attraction, with exposed bedrock and unusually decorated stations that put the beauty of Stockholm underground to the pleasure of the city’s lucky residents.